Creamy Stove Top Lasagna In Under 1 Hour
This Skillet Lasagna is an easy twist on classic lasagna! Made with crumbled Italian sausage (hot or sweet, your choice!) and ground beef, fresh basil, and a cheesy topping that gets bubbly and golden brown, this is sure to satisfy all your lasagna cravings with only a fraction of the work.
Made entirely in one-pan with layers of cheesy goodness, this is comfort food at its finest and sure to be a hit with the whole family! I, myself, am particularly fond of the crispy edges of lasagna noodles. Swooon!
If you love this one pan lasagna recipe, be sure to try more of our simple dinner recipes, like my easy lasagna soup with ground beef, spaghetti squash stuffed with sausage and cheese, or Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll-Ups!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil: To sauté the ground beef and sausage.
- Ground beef and ground Italian sausage: We recommend 90/10 ground beef, but you can use either sweet or hot Italian sausage.
- Garlic: You can’t make an Italian meal without this!
- Dried herbs: Oregano or Italian seasoning,
- Crushed red pepper flakes: To spicy up the dish just a bit.
- Marinara sauce: Try our homemade quick simmer marinara or store-bought.
- Chicken stock: or water, if you don’t have chicken stock.
- Basil: We used fresh basil in this dish and add more for serving.
- Lasagna Noodles: Uncooked, broken into small pieces.
- Ricotta cheese: Whole milk, for creating the cheesy topping.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is mixed with the ricotta and for serving.
- Egg yolk: This will hold the ricotta mixture together.
- Kosher Salt and Pepper: To season everything.
- Mozzarella cheese: Shredded, for topping the stove top lasagna.
- Parsley: Fresh, for serving.
You’ll also want a 12-inch cast iron skillet or other large skillet with deep sides and a lid (or foil). Do not use a pot, as you need the top of the skillet to be close to the broiler to get brown edges!
Easy Instructions
- Brown the meat. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and Italian sausage, using a spatula to break up into small pieces. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes.
- Make the sauce. Add marinara sauce, chicken stock, and basil leaves. Stir well, then bring to a simmer.
- Add the lasagna noodles, then stir well. Lower the temperature slightly, cover, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are al dente, about 20-25 minutes. (No need to boil separately!) Add additional chicken stock, as needed.
- Make the ricotta mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cheese. Once the noodles are tender, dollop the ricotta mixture all over the top of the lasagna skillet. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
- Broil until the cheese melts. Transfer the stove top lasagna under a broiler set to high, then cook for 3-5 minutes (keep a close eye on it!) until the cheese is golden brown, bubbling, and melted. Allow to cool slightly, then top with additional basil and parsley.
If you have any leftover ricotta, try my easy baked ricotta recipe next!
Serving Suggestions
When I think of side dishes for lasagna, I think of a salad and garlic bread. Try this with my arugula salad and cheesy garlic bread!
Roasted vegetables would also pair well with this skillet lasagna recipe. Try my Roasted Broccolini, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, or Roasted Broccoli.
Ari’s Expert Tips
- Make sure there’s plenty of liquid in the skillet. The noodles will continue to absorb liquid even after the pan is removed from the heat.
- Use regular lasagna noodles (the dried ones with the wavy edges). Do not use oven-ready, no-boil lasagna sheets.
- Use whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese rather than low-fat or part-skim mozzarella. It will melt much easier!
- If you use ground beef with a higher fat content (eg, 80/20), be sure to drain off excess grease after browning.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
Unlike a traditional lasagna recipe where you cook the noodles ahead of time and assemble the whole dish before baking, the lasagna noodles cook directly in the skillet. Which means yes, you can make this ahead of time, but you’ll still be cooking the entire dish. Store in a fridge until ready to eat.
- Leftovers and storage: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 5 days, but we like it best fresh when the edges of the lasagna noodles are a bit crispy.
- To freeze: Let the lasagna cool completely, then put it in a sealed, airtight container. It can stay frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw lasagna overnight in a fridge, then cover with foil and reheat it in an oven at 350F until warm and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add pesto to your lasagna before the ricotta layer. Our Garlic Scape Pesto would be divine in this!
- Add some sautéed onion or shallots to the meat mixture.
- Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken to make it just a bit healthier.
- Add carrots, zucchini, diced bell peppers, or spinach to the meat to sneak some vegetables into this recipe.
Comfort food, pure and simple. This one checks all the boxes and is so impressive! If you make this easy Skillet Lasagna recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Skillet Lasagna with Sausage, Beef, and Ricotta
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lb ground beef 90/10
- ½ lb Italian sausage casings removed (hot or sweet sausage is fine)
- 4 cloves garlic grated or finely chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 1½ tsp Kosher salt divided
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cups marinara sauce homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock or water, plus more, if needed, for the noodles
- 10-15 fresh basil leaves plus more for serving
- 8 oz uncooked lasagna noodles broken into small pieces about 2-3-inches long
- 1½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for serving
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
- Fresh parsley roughly chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Brown the meat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add ½ lb ground beef and ½ lb Italian sausage, then use a spatula to break up into small pieces. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add chopped garlic, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well.
- Make the sauce. Add 4 cups marinara sauce, 1 cup of chicken stock, and a generous handful of fresh basil leaves. Stir well, then bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles, then stir well to ensure the noodles are covered with sauce. Lower the temperature slightly, cover the pan with a lid or foil, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are al dente, about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on the liquid, as a lot of it will be absorbed by the noodles. Add an additional ½ cup chicken stock, as needed.
- Make the ricotta mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together 1½ cups ricotta, ½ cup grated Parmesan, 1 large egg yolk, ½ tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Add the cheese. Once the noodles are al dente, dollop the ricotta mixture all over the top of the lasagna skillet. Sprinkle with 1½ cups shredded mozzarella.
- Broil until the cheese melts. Transfer the skillet lasagna under a broiler set to high, then cook for 3-5 minutes (depending on the strength of your broiler, keep a close eye on it!) until the cheese is golden brown, bubbling, and melted. Allow to cool slightly, then top with additional fresh basil and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Nutrition facts based on 8 servings.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Allow the lasagna to cool completely, then place it in a sealed freezer safe container. Store in a freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw lasagna overnight in a fridge, then cover with foil and reheat it in an oven at 350F until warm and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- Err on the side of caution and make sure there’s plenty of liquid in the skillet. The noodles will continue to absorb liquid even after the pan is removed from the heat.
- Optional: to add even more flavor, drizzle a few tablespoons of pesto on top of the noodles before adding the ricotta mixture.
Nutrition
Photography by Alana of Your Home Made Healthy.
Amazing and easy dish to prepare for a group meal. I used 85/15 grass fed beef and it was delicious! Can’t wait to try it again with Italian sausage. Make this!
Thank you, Claire! Glad you liked it! xo, Ari